Trump Administration Orders Review of Endangered Wolf Protections

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday directing the Department of the Interior to assess whether gray wolves and Mexican gray wolves meet the recovery criteria for delisting or downlisting under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The order requires the interior secretary to prepare a recommendation within 90 days and, if warranted, to begin rulemaking and legislative proposals.

Newsweek

Mexican gray wolves were reintroduced to Arizona and New Mexico in 1998 after near-extinction in the wild. Nearly three decades later, the population remains around 300 individuals, according to the Sierra Club. Conservationists argue that limited genetic diversity and the modest population size mean the subspecies has not yet achieved the thresholds for ESA removal.

KJZZ - NPR - Phoenix

The Wolf Conservation Center’s compiled data show the nation’s largest gray-wolf populations in Alaska (7,700-11,200 as of 2017), Minnesota (2,919 in winter 2022-23), Wisconsin (?1,200 in 2024-25), Idaho (?1,129 in 2025), and smaller counts elsewhere, including Wyoming’s 253 wolves as of December 31, 2025. For Mexican gray wolves, the Center lists 175 individuals in New Mexico and 142 in Arizona (2025). The executive order does not instantly remove protections; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes that formal delisting requires a proposed rule, public and expert input, and a final rule or withdrawal.

NewsweekKJZZ - NPR - Phoenix

R-CALF USA President Dave Hyde described the order as a step toward addressing longstanding concerns of cattle producers, while noting that it does not solve every problem immediately.

Newsweek

Conservation groups warned that weakening protections could undo decades of recovery.

Newsweek

• “There are a lot of animals we wouldn't have if it weren't for the Endangered Species Act,” — Sandy Bahr

KJZZ - NPR - Phoenix

These reactions underscore the tension between ranching interests and wildlife-conservation goals as the administration proceeds with its review.

Newsweek